Shaft coupling



June 26, 1923. 1,460,001

E. N. TwoGooD SHAFT COUPLING Filed July 3, 1920 I7 I9 w- Y .1

Inventor-z Err-1 st N.Two ood, i q m His. Attorne.

Patented June 26, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST N. TWOGOOD, OF SCHENECTADY, NETV YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELEC.

TRIC COMPANY, A CGBPGRATEON GF NEW YORK.

SHAFT COUPLING.

Application filed July 3, 1920. Serial No. 393,805.

To all whom t 9110.3.' concern:

Be it known that l, nNnsr N. "hvoeoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to couplings for connecting together adjacent shaft ends for transmitting power from one to the other. For certain applications it desir able to have a coupling capable of a limited degree of torsional and lateral flexibility and which will permit of axial adjustments of the shafts relatively to each other and take care of any slight inaccuracies vin shaft alignment, and the object of my present invention is to provide an improved structure and arrangement in a coupling of this type.

For a consideration of what l. believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is an axial sectional vieW of a coupling embodying my invention. and Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1. In connection with the drawing, it Will be understood that Fig. 1 shows only the upper half of the coupling, the lower portion of the shaft and coupling being broken away. as in the drawing it would appear as a duplicate of that shown, and that Fig. 2 shows only a. segment of the complete annular coupling.

Referring to the drawing, 5 and G indicate adjacent shaft ends to be coupled together, 7 and 8 bearings which carry the shafts, and 9 a housing for the coupling.

Shaft 5 carries a coupling member or part comprising a sleeve 10 fixed on the end of shaft 5 by a key as indicated at 11 and provided With radially projecting members or teeth 12, somewhat of the order of gear teeth. This forms one part or member of the coupling.

The other part or member of the coupling is carried by shaft 6 and comprises a sleeve 13 keyed to the end of shaft 6 by a key as indicated at 14 and provided with an annular radially extending flange 15. In flange 15 is a ring of circumferentially spaced holes 16 in which are fixed one end of a series of supporting pins 17. Holes 10 are preferably tapered and pins 17 are provided with tapered ends which fit into holes 16 and are drawn tightly therein and held by nuts 1S which screw onto threaded ends of the pins. mns 1T in 'flange 15.

This firmly anchors supporting Mounted on the projecting end of each supporting pin 17 is a sleeve 19 having a radially projecting member or tooth 2O somewhat of the form of a gear tooth. each tooth 20 fitting between two of the teeth 12.

In other words, there is To this end supporting pins 17 are made with axial openings 22 through them and torsional pins 21 extend through such openings. the ends of pins 21 remote from shaft 5 being fixed to the ends of pins 17 by suitable means such as keys 23 and the other ends being fixed to the outer ends of sleeves 19 by suitable means such as keys 24. Sleeves 19 have heads 25 located beyond the ends of pins 17, the ends of pins 21 being fastened in such heads. The axial openings 22 in supporting pins 17 are of greater diamstel` than torsional pins 21 and the pins are held in spaced relation to the walls of openings so they may flex therein to a limited extent.

For lubricating the coupling I provide an oil groove 2T adapted to catch oil from bearing 7 and conduct it by way of passages 2S aud i??? te the bearings between pins 17 and sleeves 1S). are indicated at 30. also lubricates the teeth.

Oil grooves for such bearings Oil from passage 29 by the torsion pins 21.

In case of excess load torsion pins 2l will all twist somewhat permitting` one shaft to turn slightly relatively to the other. In ease ot unequal distribution ol' the load among teeth 'l2 and 20. any pin 1 may twist slightly individually whereby the riirrespondiimr tooth 20 will will more. its sleeve lf) turningr on supportinltfy pin iT and thus relieving the excess ,nessure on stirb tooth. It is thus insured that the load will be equally distributed amongl the teeth of the eoupling. Also in rase oi slight inisalignment ol shafts 5 and t? the teeth l2 and 2t? (fan roel; on each other to take ra re ol" sneh misalignment without in any Vway attertingr the eonpling, ly the teeth sliding* axially on earth other tlle shafts may adjust themselves axiaily relatively to each other.

The supporting' pins li' form a Firm rigid support for sleeves lil and serve to hold teeth 2U in axial alignment with teeth li! and transmit the torque from teeth 20 to flange l5.

The teeth l2 are made quite long and extend well up between teeth 20 so that in ease the torsion pins 2l should tail the teeth l2 will wedge against teeth 20 and sleeve 19 and stili maintain the coupling in operative rendition so that it maybe used temporariiy until repairs ean be made.

(lne applieation to which my invention is well adapted is in connection with double reduction gearing;F wherein power is transmitted Vtrom a driving pinion to a driven gear wheel through two or more sets of intermediate gear wheels whiieh transmit the load in paraliel from the pinion to the gear wheel. In sueh a gearing it is desirable that eaeh intermediate set ot gear wheels transmits its proper share oi' the load and h" arranging one of my iexible couplings in the shaft ol' eaeh intermediate set of gear wheels this will be assured for in ease any srt tends to Carry more than its share of the load the eoupling in its shalt will yield eireuml'erentially thereby effecting' circumferential adjustment ot the gear wheels of the set relatively to eaeh other which will relieve the tooth pressure on sueh. set and transfer the exi-ess load to the other set or sets.

The eouplilmj although embodying the comparatively long torsion pins Qi is nevertheless, dml to the arrangement ot' the parts, short and Compact` occupying no more space than the, usual eouplinq. At the same time it is comparatively simple to build and assemble and can be mannt'aetured at a reasonable Cost.

In aeeordanee with the provisions of the patent statnites1 l have described the prineiple of operation ot my invention, together with the apparatus whit-h I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apthe ,invention may he carried ont by other means.

llrhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters iatent of the United States, is,d

1. In a coupling for adjaeent shalt, ends, the eoinl'iination ol" a set of outwardly projerting members. a set oi' inwardly projertinnL members, said members engaging: earh other. and means eonneetinn' said sets to the shaft ends, the means ior eonnerting one ot' said sets comprising torsional shaft memhers.

il. In a eonpling for adjacent shait ends, interiraringr eontaetiingr members lor transmitting power` and means connecting;V them to the shalt ends, said means Comprising' torsional members wherel'iy Paid contat-ting; members may adjust themselves individually or as a whole.

Il. In a coupling for adjacent shaft ends, interleaying` contacting' members for transmitting power, and means eonneeting them to theishatt ends, said means comprising axially extendinv torsional members adaptefl to flex lateral y.

1. In a Coupling' for adjacent shaft ends, engaging members which directly engage each other for transmitting power, and means includingr axially extendingr torsional shat't members for Connecting` said engaging members to the respective shaft ends.

In a coupling' for adjacent shaft ends, the combination ot a set ot outwardly projet-ting members, a set ot inwardly projectin@r members whieh interleave therewith, and means connecting said sets to the shaft ends, the means 't'or connecting; one of said sets comprising;` torsional shafts.

6. In a coupling' tor adjacent shaft ends, the etnnl'iination ol" a set oli radially extending teeth, means rigidly connecting them to one shaft end, a seeond set of radially extending teeth which meshes with the first set. and torsional means connecting the seeond set ot teeth to the other shaft end.

7. In a coupling for adjacent shaft ends, the combination of a set ot radially extendiup; teeth, means rigidly eonneeting them to one shaft end. a` seeond` set of radially extending teeth which meshes with the first set, and torsional. means tor individual teeth ot the see-ond set for eonneeting them to the other shaft end.

8. In an coupling for adjacent shaft ends, the Combination et a set ot radially extending" teeth, means rigidly ronneeting1 them to one shaft end a second set of radially extendingteeth which meshes with the first set, and a torsional means for eaeh tooth ot the seeond set lor eonneeting it to the other shaft end. i

9. In a eoupling tor adjacent shaft ends, the combination of a set of radially extendingteeth, means rigidly connecting them to paratus shown is only illustrative, and that one shaft end, a second set of radially ex- T tl tending teeth which meshes with the first set, and torsional pins connecting the teeth of said second set to the other shaft end.

l0. In a coupling for adjacent shaft ends, the combination of radially projecting teeth carried hy one shaft end, axiallyv extending;r torsional pins carried by the other shaft end, and radialljT projecting teeth. fixed on said pins and meshing with the first named teeth.

1l. ln a coupling for adjacent shaft ends, the Combination of radially projecting mein-- hers Carried hy one shaft end, a flange on the other shaft end, axially extending supporting' pins fixed to said flange, sleeves mounted. on said pins, projecting members carried by said sleeves which interleave with the first named projecting members, and torsion means connecting said sleeves to said supporting pins.

12. In a coupling for adjacent shaft ends, the Combination of radially projecting ineinvbers carried by one shaft end, a flange on the other shaft end, axially extending hollow supporting pins fixed to said flange, sleeves mounted on said pins, projecting; members carried by said sleeves which interleave with the lirst named projecting members, and torsion shafts located in said .supporting pins for connecting said sleeves to the supportingpins.

13. ln combination. a shaft, :i sleeve thereon 'provided with radiallyY extending teeth, a second shaft, a flange thereon, hollow arrially-extending` supporting pins fixed to said flange and spared eirelun'lirentiallyl around it, sleeves mounted looselyv ou said supporting pins.` said sleeves heineV prmided with radially estendiugf teeth nrhirh mesh with said first named terth. and torsion pins which. extend through said supporting pins in spaced relation thereto and have one end connected to such pins and the other end connected to said sleeves.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this first dav of July, 1920.

ERNEST N. TWoGooD. 

